Wolfe’s Woofers: Lawsuits

Sunday, September 22nd, 2013

“And what do you do back in Texas?” “I’m a lawyer,” the tourist told me, as he pulled up a chair. We had struck up a conversation as I was having my morning coffee on the deck of the Holiday Hotel. “What kind of law do you practice?” I asked. “Mostly tort law, which is what you would call business law,” he said. “Pardon me, señor,” a man at a nearby table said. “Did I hear you say that you are a lawyer?” “Yes, indeed.” “My friend and I,” he indicated his companion, “are lawyers also. We are from Mexico where we are called abogados. Sir, my friend, who does not speak good English, wants to know if you could answer a question of law for him?” “Sure.” “He wants to know if it is true that in the U.S. if a person falls down on the sidewalk and gets injured in front of a store he can sue the store.” “Yes. It happens all the time.” The Mexican lawyer turned to his friend and spoke to him rapidly in Spanish. His friend replied. “He wants to know if it is true that these people who are injured can win millions of dollars in lawsuits of this kind.” “Oh, yes. I’ve handled quite a few of those cases.” The Mexican lawyer explained this to his friend in Spanish. “Thank you very much señor,” he said. “That information is most helpful. My friend and I are planning to go to the U.S. soon.” “Will you be representing people who are injured in those kinds of accidents?’ “Oh, no, señor. We are going so we can fall down on sidewalks.”